Not wanting to hy-jack Spikes thread on his son Finn's new rifle I thought it would be better manners to request info on a seperate thread.

I am currently having an old Argentine '09 barrelled and chambered to 9.3x64.

When back-orders are caught up with I'll be able to source dies and cases from Grafs and will be handloading.

Feedback from current/previous owners regarding handloading this cartridge would be much appreciated.

My intended purpose for this rifle is to replace the niche my .375's once took, both of which have now been relegated to client loan rifles (the .375 bore did an excellent job for what I used it for, the 9.3 is simply a boyhood goal/wish).

I will be using this rifle for Sambar deer (large Caribou sized deer) as well as an African plains game rifle.

I have no personal experience with it but it is a fine cartridge and one that always intrigued me as well. Its quite a lot more cartridge than its little brother, the 62mm. It is certainly the equal to the .375, just a slightly smaller diameter bullet and of course would be good for the same range of game, where legal. Should be a worthy project, keep us posted.

Sess, do you think it would a safe assumption to presume that powders that work well in the x62 would also be good for the x64.

I understand that the x64 is not just a slightly longer case, it is marginely wider as well.
Would/should this make a difference in the selection of propelant.

Currently waiting on a barrel from Lilja, action has a Timney trigger installed, two stage swing safety and straightened bolt handle.
I will be having the ligs and bolt face lapped and the action trued then stocked by Accurate Innovations.
All metal work will be Cerakoted.

Paul, I think for full velocity, if thats what you want, then going to some slower powders might pay off. Starting with IMR4350 and going up from there. The capacity is such that it might require the slower powders so as not to build up pressure before reaching desired bullet speed. I would treat it like the .375 which also does best with the slower powders, at least in my opinion. Some shooters like the medium range but generally for full speed, the slower powders work best with such a large capacity round.

Paul, I think for full velocity, if thats what you want, then going to some slower powders might pay off. Starting with IMR4350 and going up from there. The capacity is such that it might require the slower powders so as not to build up pressure before reaching desired bullet speed. I would treat it like the .375 which also does best with the slower powders, at least in my opinion. Some shooters like the medium range but generally for full speed, the slower powders work best with such a large capacity round.

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Great sound advice, very much appreciated as I'm starting from scratch with this one.

I intend on trialing lighter for caliber homogenous projectiles that i've had so much success with in other calibers, namely Tripple Shoks and or C.E.B non-cons.
250gn weights in either brand seems a good compromise between bullet weight and velocity/energy produced.

I'd known this cartridge was well renown in Europe with a healthy reputation amongst hunters for use on thin-skinned heavy game.
Some of the balistics capable are now showing why.

I'm looking forward to playing around with this one.
I doubt that it will be complete in time for me to take it to my buffalo camp with me this season but have no doubts it will see some use up there eventually and should prove every bit as effective as has the .375.

Was lucky enough to secure rare enough dies today for the fair price of under $80, but cases...... WHOA $69/20 !!!

Some of my big bores are cheaper to run than this !

I can see she's going to be an expensive little vixen to run this 9.3

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The 9.xx64 is hell on wheels...it is every bit is good as the 375 H&H is..get it shooting with 320 woodleighs and any of the 286 grain bullets and you got a great cabiber that is street legal for DG almost everywhere!!!

The 9.xx64 is hell on wheels...it is every bit is good as the 375 H&H is..get it shooting with 320 woodleighs and any of the 286 grain bullets and you got a great cabiber that is street legal for DG almost everywhere!!!

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Ed, the more I research and look into this cartridge the more impressed I become.
I've managed to track down a couple of actual users of the cartridge that report outstanding performance on all sized animals from buffalo down.

I may use mine to shoot the odd sick or injured buffalo in my hunting concession as well as use it to collect meat for my Traditional Owners from time to time, otherwise the main intended purpose is for eland, and down, sized game and for this it appears to be near on perfect.

In reality not a lot, if any, different to the hugely popular and widely available .375 H&H, just different !

I had one and it took elk, and nilgai without any problems,. The only Eland I have taken was last year with a 375 RUM. My bullets broke up--and it was a f*uck *p to get him...about 2 hours of tracking, and a track meet in the end to run him down and finish him off. I used the Hornady DGX bullet and it broke up. I think the 9.3x64 with the woodleigh, a top notch barnes, or swift bullet would be hell on wheels to deal with... those 320's at 2175 fps orthose 286 kicking along at 2350 are nothing to scoff at! My 9.3x64 was in a blaser r93...I enjoyed it but componets for it kind of dried up at the time and i moved it on down the road.

hell, who doesn't? good luck with the new rifle pault, and as always, i look forward to a new hunting report with the new rifle.

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G'day 35bore.

I'm not sure that I'd want one in EVERY caliber.

This rifle, and several others I have aquired recently, have been the result of a complete re-build of my rifle cabinet which started about three years ago.

I sold off a lot of rifles I simply wasn't using, some stuff that was just junk and others that just didn't apply to what I was doing these days.

Slowly but surely I replaced them with better quality firearms that are much better suited to my current, and planned future, uses.

I started at the top end range with my big bores and got them sorted first as that is what I use for my work as a buffalo guide.
* 500 N.E double
* 500 Ultra mag bolt gun
* 458 Lott bolt gun
* 2x 375 bolt gun loan rifles.

Then I moved on to my "mediums" and have ended up with;
* this 9.3 mentioned in this thread
* a 338 Win mag (lightweight, synthetic)
* a 300 Win mag
* a 7x64mm.

I am now happy with my selection of "mediums" and so my next project, over the next couple of years, is to look at and outfitt the small game end of my cabinet with a 12ga a rimfire and a small varmint gun.

I am NOT a collector nor do I like having firearms around that are not being used or earning their keep.

This small stable of rifles will see me out for the rest of my days, hopefully !

Thanks for your well wishes, I will report back after testing which may be some time away as the rifle is still under construction.

Once upon a time there was a man whose name was Brenneke ... He wanted to fight against hegemony english calibers in Africa ... and 9.3x64 was born !!:clap:

Long time ago , the better european caliber (metric) in Africa was 9.3x62 Mauser (let's forget the 10.75x68 : with its not reliable bullets !!) to "light" to fight against the new .375 H&H belted Magnum.
So the 9.3x64 was born ...but ... too late!!! After .."no efficient marketing", now it's used in East and North Europa and from time to time in Africa. Russians have made a "semi auto" for "sniper" using this caliber !!!
This is a fabulous cartidge (powerful, flat, accuracy , no magnum action ...& lonely cartridge) ... "rest in peace" ... soon ... exept North and East Europa ... maybe ...!
Many years ago I sold my rifle :cryingcry:: Mauser action in this caliber to buy a .375 H&H : more kind of bullets, all the manufacturers (rifle or ammo's) offer this caliber , no problem everywhere, reliable and so on ...and so on ...

How are you doing? I have a 9,3x64 and I absolutely love it. I wrote an article on it a long time ago, I will scan and email to you when I find it (Im off to barbeque some ribs, and watch rugby.)
A side note, all my clients that have used it, wanted to buy it!

It is the second rifle from the top (we moved the scope back a bit for a specific client...)